Mistakes
by TheAnomally
Summary: Lex owies! Lana decides. One mistake can lead to a series of problems. No more Excuses for Clark Kent, as his emotions get the best of him. Lana witnesses a break down in the saintly facade that Clark has worked to build.
1. Build Up

--Build Up.--

"Who would do something like that?" Lana asked.

Not skipping a beat the Doctor replied, "Perhaps, a young girl trying to get her hands on a fortune."

Her baby was dead before he could even draw a first breath. Now, this doctor had the gall to accuse her of lying about her pregnancy. She could hardly speak; all she could utter was a choked out, "what?". The doctor left her to ponder what was going on; her emotions were all over the place. She felt suffocated in so many ways, suffocated by her secret, by her fears, and now by this loss. Lex came in to see her, and it was hard for her to hide her suffering. She couldn't help but smile as Lex threatened the Doctor for even suggesting such an idea.

"I should have your license revoked! If you ever come within two feet of my wife, DOCTOR," Lex stressed that word with venom, "I'll make sure you never work ANYWHERE ever again!" he finished.

Lana loved that strength in him; but she was afraid of it too. The very pale, quivering Doctor nodded and fled the room. Lex turned to Lana, who flinched ever so slightly, and his eyes softened.

"I'm sorry Lana." He apologized.

The next few days Lana slowly became a shell of her former self. The only time she showed any emotion, other than sadness, was when Lex tried to cheer her up, or when Lionel came to call. Lex at first thought it was normal depression and regular revulsion for Lionel Luthor, but then he sensed there was more, especially, after she was shot. It didn't take him long to put the pieces together.


	2. Truth and Propositions

Author's notes: REVIEWS PLEASE! Do you like it, hate it, don't care either way for it, or OH MY GOD why did you write this crapola!!

--Truth and Propositions.--

Lex called Lana into his office a month after she had been shot. Her wound had been healing nicely under a different Doctor's care.

"You wanted to see me Lex?" Lana asked.

Lex realized his mistake seeing her face; she looked like a kid who has been called to the Principal's office. He got up, rounded his desk and motioned for her to sit on a leather sofa by the fireplace. Many good memories for them had been made here, and it was here, Lex thought, she would feel more comfortable. He rested his elbows on his knees and looked into her crestfallen face. It broke his heart to see her like this; he wanted to take her in his arms and make sure nothing would ever hurt her again.

Lex inhaled and began, "You're not happy Lana, and it's more then the miscarriage that is bothering you."

Lana was about to deny everything, but Lex held up his hand so he could continue. Lex blinked slowly and went on, "You've been moping around here for weeks. I've had my thoughts why, and I was close. First I thought it was Clark, but that is only part of it. You still love him. I saw him at the wedding as we left looking like a wounded, betrayed puppy. He was looking at you with those eyes. Then I theorized why you would marry me if you had these reservations, and then it hit me." He paused since it hurt to continue. "My Father said something to you didn't he?"

Lana blinked. He was so right, but could she really reply without endangering Clark? She opened her mouth to answer, but closed it. She then tried to find her voice to deny everything.

Lex nodded before she could speak. "Don't worry I've made sure this room is free from bugs or any monitoring devices. The room is clean so to speak."

"Yes…but Lex…". She tried to blurt out more, but her emotions took over. "I never meant to hurt you. I love you I really do, but with Clark…things have changed," she said while crying.

Lex figured it had something to do with the secret Clark was always clinging to. Lana had somehow found out the secret that was Clark Kent.

Lex offered up a reason. "Your relationship is unresolved; I can understand that. You are fading away Lana, your miscarriage, and with my Father's thumb squashing you. It's all too much. What my Father has on you must be immense for you to marry a man you don't really love."

Lana could only nod, but she would never tell Lex what his Father was holding over her head. She winced as Lex finished. She did love him, but she wasn't so sure she was IN love with him anymore.

Lex sighed sadly. "You're the nightingale in the guilded cage, too beautiful to let go, but too wild to keep in a prison."

"I don't think of this as a prison; it's just…" Lana began.

Lex interrupted her, "It is prison, and my Father is the jailer. I am an inmate sentenced to life it seems."

Since all this had happened, the light Lana used to carry with her had dimmed. She could light up a room with her presence; but, lately, that light was getting swallowed up by the Luthor darkness.

"Lex please, let me explain." Lana said.

Lex rubbed his eyes. "Lana I could never hurt you, but it is killing me to see you like this. And it is killing you too."

"How do you do it? How do you deal with the pain? I'm a withering wreck, but you just continued on like nothing was wrong." Lana said.

Lex cleared his throat. "It's all an automatic response."

Lana was confused; it was painted clearly on her face. Lex got up and sat beside her. He touched a place near his heart and reached into his shirt. Out of a small pocket expertly tailored into his shirt; he pulled out a small picture. It was a picture of their baby on the last sonogram.

He handed the picture to Lana. "Luthors are not allowed to cry; I was taught that from and early age. It was drilled into my mind and heart; I mourn in other ways. I replace emotions with work and other diversions."

Lana knew what a monster Lionel was, and this revelation did not surprise her. Lex was a victim of intense emotional abuse, and Lana also suspected physical abuse. Lex never asked for pity; just the understanding that his life was not black and white, but a lot of grey areas and closed doors. Lana ran her fingers over the last picture of her child. She wanted to hug it, but she handed it back to Lex.

"So now what?" Lana asked softly.

Lex took her hands in his. "I have a proposition to make. I have a place in France that's all paid for and under the radar of my Father. It's a place my mother and I used to go when she was able to travel. Go there and try to sort out everything without any intrusions." He handed her a small silver phone. "This phone is only one way. No calls can come into it but you can call out on it. That way I won't be able to reach you, no matter how much I want to."

Lana smiled at the little bit of humor. She could tell Lex had thought long and hard on this. She knew he cared for her, and she never wanted this to be a one-sided relationship.

"You're sending me away?" she whispered.

Lex shook his head, "Think of it more like a much needed retreat for a mother in mourning over the loss of a child."

Lex remembered how much she enjoyed studying in Paris and knew this was the perfect move to garner her affections once more. It was a calculating move on the chess board in his mind. He knew his father holding things over her head that made her dangerous to him and Clark's obsessive sniffing around his wife were serving only to confuse her more. It was no coincidence that she got shot shortly after having accompanied his Father to the opera. Like Victoria and Helen, Lana was being used to spy on him. Unlike them and the other women Lex knew, there was something more then money motivating her to betray him.

"What about Lionel?" she asked spitting out the man's name like it was truly vile.

Lex smiled. "I'll handle him; don't worry about him, me, or anyone. Worry about only yourself, and what is important to you. I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes, and I will respect whatever decision you make."

Lana was elated, but unsure as well. It would be good to get away from the Luthor's, but this place was Lex's hideaway. What would stop him from monitoring her? There was his word, but she did not really trust that lately. There was very little Lionel could not find out.

Lex stood up and went to his desk. "I know you are worried about...well...everything; but trust me on this that no one will bother you."

He came back and stood in front of her and handed her a set of keys. Her heart ached over everything that was happening. Perhaps this was a silver lining in an ever-deepening downward spiral that her life was becoming.

"I don't know. Can I think about it?" Lana asked wiping away her tears.

Lex nodded. "You can do whatever you want."

He smiled at her and she could not bear to face him anymore. She left with his offer circling around in her mind. It only took her a week and one frightening call from Lionel for her to take action. Soon, she was bound for Europe to work out everything, but she already knew what her decision would be.


	3. Questions and Accusations

--Questions and Accusations.--

Clark had not heard anything from Lana since she got shot because Lex had been hovering over her night and day. He had sneaked onto the Luthor estate many times trying to see her, but she was never alone. Clark figured this was Lex trying to atone for getting her hurt in the first place. He had no proof, but he was sure this latest attack on Lana was Lex's fault. Clark felt like the noble Prince in the fairy tale trying to free the Princess from the clutches of the evil witch. He smirked as he pictured Lex dressed in black robe with a gigantic wart on his nose. Lana did not want to marry Lex; he could tell. Lex had threatened her so that she would. He just had to prove it, and Lana would be his.

Clark walked into the newsroom. "Chloe, have you heard from Lana?"

"Not lately which is weird because she usually calls me to talk about stuff," Chloe responded.

Clark started to worry since it had been weeks since anyone had seen or heard from Lana Luthor.

Clark huffed. "I'm worried; usually, I see her at the Talon or just around town."

"She's probably healing. She did get shot, after all, plus the thing with losing the baby." Chloe reasoned. "I hear Lex has been the regular mother hen to her, not leaving her side and all that."

Clark sneered ever so slightly. He could not even stomach his former best friend's mere name.

Jimmy suddenly came bounding in. "Look at this!"

He held up one of Metropolis' famed gossip rag papers and emblazoned on the first page was a bold headline. "_Lady_ _Luthor cast out of the castle; sent away to secret location!!_"

Clark snatched the paper much too quickly and nearly snapped Jimmy's hands off.

Jimmy jumped a bit. "Whoa…"

"Steady Clark, don't injure the messenger," Chloe remarked.

Clark quickly read what little the gossip paper had to print. It was a long article that basically said nothing concrete.

Clark looked at Chloe. "He's done something to her."

"That's doubtful Clark! As much as you hate to hear it, Lex loves Lana," Chloe reasoned.

Clark tossed the paper down on Chloe's desk. "Doubtful! Lex does not know how to love."

Chloe had no love for the Luthor empire heir but she could read people really well. When Lex was with Lana, he was almost gooey. He would do anything to make her happy. He proved this when he had pushed aside the animosity and extended an invitation to the wedding to Clark. She could also sympathize with the lengths that Lex was going to keep hold of Lana. Chloe knew what it felt like to be in a one-sided love relationship; at least Lana was torn between two lovers. Chloe had loved Clark, who always only had eyes for Lana; it still stung to think about it. Perhaps, it would hurt less if he hadn't left her at the prom to go to Lana. She blinked as she was regressing into past feelings. She had Jimmy now and the past should remain buried.

"How about this? I check around, call in some favors and see what I can dig up," Chloe offered.

Clark nodded, "Thanks, I'll..."

"Stop right there, YOU will go home and let me see what I can find. The last thing you need to do is go to the Luthor estate and make an idiot of yourself," Chloe ordered.

She knew how he was when it came to Lana. Clark tried to protest, but Chloe would hear none of it. She stalemated him when she threatened not to do any digging for him unless he promised to behave. He relented and left. His first stop was the estate. He had promised not to confront Lex, but snooping around the estate had not been mentioned. Clark loved loopholes like that, and he wanted to see what he could find using his abilities. He expected to find more than a nearly empty castle where there was nothing to indicate foul play. Defeated Clark went home and started to do his chores.


	4. Confrontation

Author babbling: once again I still don't own anything. Sorry Lex how much abuse can we authors subject you to? As for Clark, no one is that good, too many excuses, to much repression; you are due for a good old emotional eruption.

--Confrontation.—

Clark hated waiting! Everyday he called or saw Chloe in person about her progress but there was nothing. It was like Lana vanished off the face of the Earth. Clark went to see Lionel to ask him about the wayward Mrs. Luthor; but Lionel knew nothing and couldn't seem to get any answers either. Clark's mind started to make up dangerous theories about everything. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into a month. Finally, unable to hold it in anymore, Clark headed to Lex's mansion. In usual form he barged into Lex's office. As always Lex was sitting behind his desk reading through reports; the only thing that had changed was the desk. It was not glass anymore but made out of a dark rich wood.

"Clark I thought I made myself clear! You are no longer welcome to just barge into my home anymore," Lex said laying his papers on the desk.

Clark moved closer to the desk, "Where is she? Where's Lana? What have you done with her?!"

"I don't appreciate your accusatory tone. The fact you are still standing here grants me high marks for my gift of restraint," Lex answered coolly.

He closed his laptop and stood up. Lana had not communicated with him and she apparently had not called Clark either.

"You may leave now; before I have you removed," Lex answered.

Clark stood his ground. "I am not leaving until you tell me what you've done to her!"

"It's not surprising you have demonized me. You are so busy looking at life through your rose colored lenses that you forget there is a REAL world going on out there." Lex countered. "What's the matter? Is life on your pedestal high up in the sky lonely? Still stings that she chose me over you?! This infatuation you have with my WIFE is bordering on obsession." Lex continued.

Clark huffed then smirked, "At least she loves me; she only married you because you threatened her! We were going to run away together before you did something to her."

Lex never broke his gaze with the farm boy. He let it sink in that this news was not a surprise to him.

"I would do anything to let Lana know I love her. I don't lie to her, and I would never threaten her," Lex said calmly. "I love her, and it is not just some high school fantasy crush. You had many chances to keep her, but you were unable to give her what she really wanted or needed."

Clark was unfazed by this. "Everything that falls from your lips is a lie. Yea and what's that?"

"The truth CLARK is that you never trusted her, enough, to confide in her your deepest secrets. She hated that. I know, she told me everything! Everytime she would break down crying, I wanted to find you and slap you in the head. She swore me to secrecy each time, and I, as her confidant, had no choice but to keep my lips sealed. You could never really love her while only showing her half of who you really are," Lex finished.

Clark laughed. "That is rich coming from the biggest liar in Kansas! You manipulated her into marrying you. You used her own emotions to confuse her into loving you."

"You mean like you are doing now? Before you try to deny it, I know you've continued to trespass on my property. I have this place more wired then Fort Knox, Clark. You think you are helping her, but you are only confusing her more!" The billionaire shot back.

Lex moved away from his desk and grabbed a blue bottle from the mini bar. Clark was rapidly tiring of this lecture from Lex. He had a mission and it was to find Lana.

Clark narrowed his gaze. "No more lectures, Lex! Where is she?!"

"I set her free; I let her go. She is free now to make up her own mind. Free to be alone without any intrusions from me, and especially from you!" Lex finally divulged. "No, I will not tell you where she is! That is for me to know and for you not to know!"


	5. Verdict

Author's thanks: Thank you to everyone for reading and perhaps reviewing. It really is appreciated.

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--Verdict. —

Lana rode in silence as the taxi she called for at the airport drove her back to the mansion. She twirled the wedding set on her finger; they really were gorgeous rings. Lex had beautiful taste, but she knew she had to give it up. Lex deserved someone who truly loved only him. Despite the damage inflicted by Lionel; the young Luthor was trying in earnest to be a good person. The whole situation was turning into a badly interpreted TV series. She went to slide the set off her finger, but then she paused. Was she really making the right decision? She loved Lex, and was ready to bear his child. Finding out about Clark's secret and feelings for her stirred up the past she had thought she had dealt with. Clark's love for her was always sweet and caring. Lex's love was passionate and intense. Clark was her first real love, and he was her first real hero. He was, for the lack of terms, a meteor freak. He was extraordinary, and that was his secret. She under stood why he had lied, and she was ticked off that Chloe knew before she did. She was ready to see how far her relationship with Clark would go, but she was also afraid. Would she be left at the dance too, as Clark rushed off to put everything before her? Clark had done it to Chloe. What made her so sure he would not do it to her. Lex proved that he, with a lot of coaxing, would put her before everything else. Both men could protect her, but Lex could provide for her. Clark was an average student, who dropped out of college. Making this decision would also incur the wrath of the elder Luthor. Lionel seemed to always hold all the cards no matter what the situation. As the taxi drove up the private drive to the castle, she was tempted to leave since her mind and verdict were unraveling before her. No matter what, two people she cared about would be put in danger, and one of them was going to get hurt.

Leaving her rings alone, she sighed, paid the cabbie and stepped out of the taxi. She had not even noticed the hefty tip she gave to the man. She entered the mansion and was not surprised by the minimal amount of servants around. Lex liked his solitude, especially, when he was working. She placed her bags on the polished floor and was about to call out to him, but she stopped.

"It's a big house; he's not going to hear me." She said.

She knew though, where he would be. His office was his fortress of solitude, even though the fortress was often invaded. She wondered why he did not just move it to another room. God knows there was not a lack of rooms in the place. She chuckled at her own muses; it felt good to laugh again.


	6. Mistakes

--Mistakes--

Maybe it was the stress, the weeks of worry or perhaps, Clark had finally tired of Lex's cat and mouse games. Clark stalked up to Lex and slapped the imported water bottle out of his hand. He reached back and punched Lex square in the nose.

Clark snarled, "No more GAMES Luthor, where is LANA?!!"

Lex's head snapped back and blood started to trickle out of his damaged nose. "Classy, Clark! I believe you are leaving right now. Security will walk you off the grounds." Lex said and started to walk to his desk.

Clark grabbed Lex and slammed his head into his desk. He then hauled the billionaire up and pushed him into the wall with such force that he could have sworn he heard something crack on impact. Lex blinked as his head made contact with the solid wall.

Clark felt disconnected from himself; it was like he was playing observer to this event. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help feeling a little satisfied with battering Lex Luthor.

Clark sneered. "Where is she? What have you done to my Lana?!"

Every question was punctuated by Lex being slammed into the wall. Soon a bloody spot formed on the wall that had started to crack with each smash.

"Not telling…sworn to…secrecy." Lex said in a dreamy voice. Lex was seeing stars; this whole thing was spiraling out of control.

Clark roared and tossed the rag doll, rich boy into the mini-bar. Glasses and crystal decanters shattered and splintered as Lex collided with the whole set up. He felt an awful sting as shards ripped into him. It also felt vulgar that he was lying in an expensive pool of imported scotch. He rolled over and tried to regain his footing. There was no way he was going to be beaten up by a self-righteous farm boy.

Clark could hear the blood pounding in his veins. He could feel the raw power he possessed and it was telling him to beat the answers out of Lex. As he ruminated on these feelings, he noticed that Lex was trying to get to his feet. Lex's sapphire, blue shirt was torn and dark spots were growing across the back. Lex's face, head, hands, and arms where bleeding. The normally striking young man was floundering around like a fish out of water. Clark went and stood over him, not offering to help him. Instead he used his foot to push Lex back down into the shards of glass. The splinters dug into his knees and hands more, as well as further into his back under Clark's foot.

Lex cried out in pain as his body was ground into the mess that once was his mini bar. Clark, he could only theorize, had suddenly gone mad. There had been other occasions like this where the pacifist Clark had turned around a full 180 degrees.

Clark pushed harder. "Last chance LEX! Where is LANA? If you hurt her, I swear this will be nothing in comparison to what I will do!"

Lana turned the corner that led to the office when then she heard a crash and she picked up the pace. A raised voice was echoing down the halls, and she recognized the voice immediately. She skidded to a halt and gasped as she took in the scene. Lex lie under Clark's foot in what looked like a mixture of broken glass, blood and by the smell of it scotch.

"Clark, WHAT are you DOING?!" Lana demanded.

Clark looked surprised. "Lana? You're OK! He didn't do anything to you."

"Of course not! Why would you think that Lex would hurt me?!" She demanded.

Clark lifted his foot off Lex and took a step towards her. She backed away, and then went to Lex. He was panting and struggling to rise. There was blood smearing the floor all around him.

"Lex, don't move." She said to him.

If he moved, it would only further injure him because there was sharp glass everywhere. It crunched under Lana's feet as she tried to comfort him. She noticed there was also quite a bit of it in his exposed skin. On the back of Lex's head, were a serious gash, swelling, and a bruise forming. He flinched as Lana laid a hand on a place that she thought was unmarred by injury.

"What happened here!" she demanded.

This was more then just a quarrel between two over hormonal people. Lex looked like he went a few rounds with Mike Tyson, while Clark was untouched.

Lex's clouded mind finally caught up with the new voice filling his ears. "Lana…", he uttered in a relief-filled voice and sank off his hands and knees back to the littered floor. He turned his head towards her and his eyelids fluttered.

"No, Lex don't fall asleep! Stay with me for a few minutes more, OK?" She said.

It was obvious that a head wound like that would come with a serious concussion. She got up and called for an ambulance, and once that was done, she glared at Clark.

"Well!!" she said.

Clark said the first thing that came to mind. "He wouldn't tell me where you were…"

"So you decided to BEAT it out of him?!" Lana practically shouted at him.

Clark shook his head. "I don't know what came over me; I didn't come here to hurt him. I just needed to know that you were OK. Chloe couldn't find you and the newspapers where telling different stories. I thought well that…"

"What? That I was dead because Lex killed me?! If you hadn't noticed, Lex never hurt me!" Lana pushed passed the dumbfounded Clark.

She grabbed one of Lex's monogrammed towels and using her shoe, she cleared off a place on the floor. She sat down and gently eased Lex's head into her lap. It was not a comfortable position since Lex was lying on his stomach, but perhaps the discomfort would keep him awake. She placed the towel on his freely bleeding head wound and pressed on it. Lex moaned in response.

"I'm sorry Lex. It's OK; help is on the way." She cooed to him.

Clark retorted. "He wouldn't tell me where you were, and before the wedding, we were going to run off together! He threatened you; I know it. That's why you married him!"

"He didn't tell you because I told him not to! I needed time to think, to come to terms with everything. Lex never threatened me, Clark." She spat back at him.

Clark shook his head. "I could see it in your eyes; you wanted to be with me, even after you married him. Something changed, and I knew what it was."

"Lex didn't threaten me!" Lana retorted.

Clark kneeled by Lana and grabbed her arm. "I'll protect you from him; you know what I can do."

"LEX didn't intimidate me; LIONEL did!" she blurted out. "Lex didn't know anything. Lionel caught me writing a note to Lex saying I was going to leave him. Lionel threatened to hurt you if I didn't go ahead with the marriage," she said wrenching her arm out of Clark's grip.

"Ohhhh Daaad…Baaaad Daaad.." Lex mumbled.

She stroked Lex's cheek, and admonished herself for releasing that tidbit so freely. "Sorry Lex, I wanted to tell you…but I couldn't," Lana said as tears glistened in her eyes.

Clark looked surprised. "He wouldn't do that…"

"S'Kay." Lex gurgled out.

"Come on Clark, get real. Lionel LUTHOR. He can and he did." Lana said.

Lionel knew about Clark's secret and Clark tried not to be surprised that Lionel would used something like this against him.

"As for what you can do, if this is what you're capable of, I don't think I want to see you anymore. I thought you were special. You're just like the other meteor freaks, just a power-riddled bully!" She hissed at him.

Clark thought she knew he was an alien, but she tacked up his abilities to being a side effect from the meteor rocks.

"Cllllark special…faaast…ssstttrong…ssstop caaar wiiith booody." Lex babbled out.

Clark gasped, what a time for Lex to remember the event with Morgan Edge.

"Keep talking Lex. That's good stay awake." Lana said in a soothing voice.

Lana wondered what was taking the medics so long; her pants felt warm and wet with blood.

"Lex offered me time to make up my mind; I was in Paris, CLARK. I was unsure at first but the alone time made me realize something. I made up my mind and came back, and you know what I decided?" Lana said, her voice dripping with anger.

Clark shook his head.

"I was all ready to give Lex back his rings, so I could be with you, Clark." Lana said looking at her rings.

The bands like her hands where covered in blood. She resisted the urge to ball her hands into fists and continued to care for Lex.

Clark was about to say something, but Lana, sharply, cut him off.

"Now, seeing this act of barbarism; I know I made the wrong choice. This proves to me that you don't really love me." Lana said.

Clark broke in. "But I DO love you Lana! I don't know what happened here; I can't explain it."

"I can, it's been building up ever since I got together with Lex. You were sad that I had moved on, but it made you angry that I would fall for Lex. You never showed anything to me when I was single; you even did your best to avoid me. Then I started living with Lex when we were still just friends and you were jealous. Jealous that I had moved on and you had not, even though it was your decision to push me away." Lana reasoned. "It's like I am some prize in this war you have against Lex. He has me and now you want me back!"

Clark shook his head. "No, it's not like that, I swear!"

"I am not convinced. Lex is battered like a piñata, CLARK, and you don't have a mark on you. You are here, again; no doubt, uninvited as usual and I caught you in the act. You were beating up on my husband without regard for anything except your own satisfaction! Did it feel good to you, your abilities to batter a normal man? Did it make you feel like a tough guy?!" Lana said as her anger rose. "There's always some excuse for when you act like a royal jerk! I've forgiven you and believed in the lies from everyone, but this...this is just SICK!"

Just then sirens could be heard drawing closer; Clark made a grab for Lana. He tried to pull her to him, and was surprised when she countered his grab with a defensive move.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She roared at him as she assumed a defensive stance. "You'd better leave Clark! Security will be in here soon wondering why there has been a call for an ambulance. Never come back and never bother me or my husband again!"

Clark felt like she was punching him in the gut every time she called Lex her husband. He had messed up good and proper this time; there was no way he could make up for this gross lapse in common sense. She was too angry to listen to reason right now; later, he'd have Chloe tell her about red K, his alter ego. Surely, there had to be a reason why he had acted this way, some excuse that turned him into a jealous lunatic. He heard footfalls and the decision was made. In a whoosh of air, he ran out of the mansion leaving his mistakes behind him.

Lana relaxed as Clark left in a blink; she looked down at Lex and noticed he was no longer talking. When Clark had grabbed her, Lex's head struck the floor causing him to lose consciousness.

"Oh God Lex, come on, wake up! You can't sleep now; I've made up my mind! You have to wake up so I can tell you what I am going to do!" Lana cried as she shook Lex's limp form.

She was ready to do anything, even make a joke about his less then stellar security force. She would do anything to make him open his eyes. She kneeled at his side, not caring that there was glass slicing into her shins and knees.

It was quite a scene to see Mrs. Lana Luthor crying over her husband's limp and battered form. She refused to let him go even when the paramedics wanted to work on him. After some coaxing, she was pulled away from him.


	7. Aftermath

Proposition: I've thought of a continuance of this, should I go on? Do you want more, or should I just stop and leave this as is?? Your votes will decide if Lex remains a coma cutie or will he awake to a whole new pot of troubles?

--Aftermath. –

The papers in the area did not hesitate to headline the attack on the young Luthor. Even a week after the attack, it was still the hottest headline, especially, because Lex was in a coma. Clark had hid out at the farm house trying to wake up from the nightmare that he felt like he was witnessing. His mother had called several times from D.C. trying to find out what happened. Finally, Clark left and went to the only place where he knew people would listen to him.

Clark arrived at Chloe's desk at the Daily Planet. "Chloe I…"

"You messed up BIG time! I TOLD you to keep away from the mansion! I knew something like this would happen!" she hissed at him. "You've never had much control when it came to Lana."

Clark shook his head. "No it was not like that. It had to be red K or something else."

"Clark, I went to see Lana, and I snagged some samples. There was no trace of red K. The only red stuff there was Lex's blood." Chloe said. "It was jealousy, plain and simple. You may be grown, you know; but you are still young and a victim of hormones."

Clark was about to say something when Lois bounded in.

She spoke up, "Looks like Lizard Luthor's prognosis is grim. Whoever used his head for a soccer ball, did a bang up job! Hooray for our side!!"

Lois's normal abrasive manner was usually tolerated; but today no one was in the mood for her "Can it, Lois. In case you have forgotten, my friend is married to the guy you are trashing." Chloe said rolling her eyes.

Lois shrugged. "Well, if the specialist can't relieve the pressure in baldie's melon, it's veggie-ville for him. That means Poppy Luthor will pull the plug to end poor devil-boy's suffering. Smallville, the person of your admiration will soon be a single, up for grabs, girl. Better brush up on your down-home wooing so you can court, the soon-to-be, Miss Lang again."

Lois's nickname for Clark was Smallville and she always used it when she was making a tactless joke. Lois' blunt, honest way of speaking was soon going to earn her a slap. Chloe looked like she was the one who would deliver it.

Clark shook his head and pushed past Lois because he just couldn't take it anymore. The weight of his error was too much to bear. This time he had to agree he really did mess up. There were no excuses this time, no outside forces that transformed him into a rabid jerk. This time it was just him and his emotions that he had worked to repress.


End file.
